Permits Overview

The U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service issues permits under various wildlife laws
and treaties at different offices at the national, regional, and/or
wildlife port levels. (We do not issue hunting and fishing licenses.
Instead, those are issued by State
wildlife agencies.)

Permits enable the public to engage in legitimate
wildlife-related activities that would otherwise be prohibited by law.
Service permit programs ensure that such activities are carried out in
a manner that safeguards wildlife. Additionally, some permits promote
conservation efforts by authorizing scientific research, generating data,
or allowing wildlife management and rehabilitation activities to go forward.

Endangered
Speciesregional offices administer native endangered
and threatened species permits under the Endangered Species Act (except
permits for import and export). Permits are issued to qualified
applicants for the following types of activities: enhancement of
survival associated with Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation
Agreements with Assurances, incidental take associated with Habitat Conservation
Plans, recovery, and interstate commerce. Permits for import and export
are issued by International Affairs (Division of Management Authority)
below.

International
Affairs(Management Authority) is responsible for administering
CITES for the United States. We primarily issue permits to import and
export species that are protected by CITES and by various other wildlife
conservation laws. Some examples of other activities we permit are: take
of certain marine mammals; take and interstate and foreign commerce of
non-native species protected by the Endangered Species Act, including
a captive-bred wildlife registration; cooperative breeding programs for
live exotic birds covered by the Wild Bird Conservation Act; and import
and transport of injurious wildlife.

Law
Enforcement administers permits at regional offices and certain
port locations. A permit or license may be issued to qualified applicants
for the following activities: to engage in business as a wildlife importer
or exporter; import or export wildlife at other than an designated or
authorized border or special port, and export and re-export certain CITES
wildlife.